stonecrandall Chapter 178 Both White Fang and Jiraiya have white hair, could it be...?
Chapter 178 Both White Fang and Jiraiya have white hair, could it be...?
Chapter 178 Both White Fang and Jiraiya have white hair, could it be...?
The stands were very lively today.
When Xiao Nan opened her eyes, she found herself in an unfamiliar place.
The surroundings were dark and cold, as if I were in a huge, enclosed space.
She looked around warily, and behind her were rows of seats extending into the darkness, while a huge black screen floated not far in front of her.
Xiao Nan's heart tightened: Where is this? She remembered that she was clearly in the tower in Amegakure, how did she end up in this strange place in the blink of an eye?
Could we be under an illusion?
She tensed up instantly, ready to form hand seals to protect herself at any moment.
Just then, a familiar voice suddenly appeared, filled with shock: "Xiao Nan! Are you Xiao Nan? You're still alive?"
The sound echoed in the empty audience seats, startling Xiao Nan.
Xiao Nan quickly turned around and, in the dim light, saw the owner of the voice—a middle-aged man with white hair standing on end and a headband on his forehead, standing not far away, staring at her with wide eyes in disbelief.
The man's face was filled with a mixture of surprise and bewilderment; who else could it be but Jiraiya?
In an instant, Xiao Nan's breath hitched, and memories of the past flooded back like a tidal wave.
"Jiraiya?!" Konan exclaimed in disbelief, her expression suddenly changing as years of pent-up anger and resentment surged into her heart.
Her pretty face darkened, and her voice suddenly rose as she demanded, "Did you kidnap me and bring me here?! You abandoned us and left back then! Now you've kidnapped me again, what exactly do you want?!"
Xiao Nan was furious; her slender body trembled slightly, and her fists clenched.
[Ding! Xiao Nan's emotional fluctuations have been detected! Emotional value +500!]
Without a second thought, she unleashed all the pent-up resentment she had harbored towards Jiraiya over the years, her questions echoing jarringly in the empty theater.
Jiraiya felt a little embarrassed upon hearing this. He scratched his messy white hair and said with a wry smile, "Nan, it's been a long time. You've grown into a beautiful woman. How are the other two doing?"
He tried to make his tone sound relaxed in an attempt to ease Xiao Nan's anger.
[Ding! Jiraiya's emotional fluctuations have been detected! Emotional value +300!]
Thinking of this, a trace of guilt and complex emotions flashed in Jiraiya's eyes, but more than that, there was an overwhelming sense of relief—at least Konan was still alive and well.
"Hmph," Konan stared coldly at Jiraiya, ignoring his flattery.
When they met again after a long time, the man greeted her with pleasantries and compliments as if nothing had happened, which only fueled her anger.
Just as she was about to continue questioning, her eyes were suddenly lit up—a huge, dark screen had lit up without her noticing!
A hazy yellow light illuminated the audience seats.
Xiao Nan's gaze was drawn to the screen.
A familiar figure appeared on the screen: red hair, thin, with a bewildered look in his eyes.
It was none other than the young Nagato!
Konan's heart skipped a beat, and she blurted out in surprise, "Nagato?!"
Jiraiya was also drawn to the screen.
On the screen, Nagato is standing in a small wooden hut, looking around in a daze.
"Looks like Nagato is alright too!" Jiraiya glanced at the screen, feeling a sense of relief. He couldn't help but mutter to himself, a clear look of relaxation on his face.
If someone can appear as the protagonist in a dream, it means they are still alive.
The weight that had been hanging over me seemed to be lifted by half.
Xiao Nan was still in shock.
Just as Konan was filled with doubt and surprise, a familiar voice drifted from not far away, clearly tinged with mockery: "Looks like today is Nagato's dream! That lucky guy!"
The sound wasn't loud, but it clearly reached the ears of the two people present.
Upon hearing the sound, Xiao Nan looked sharply toward the source of the noise.
A figure slowly emerged from the darkness, a tall man wearing a strange mask with an orange background and black stripes—the tiger-skin mask she hated so much!
The masked man only revealed a small hole in his right eye, which was flashing red light, giving off a sinister feeling.
"Xiao Nan, be careful, this guy is dangerous!"
Suddenly, a figure flashed out from the side and stood in front of her.
Jiraiya spread his arms to shield Konan behind him, his eyes fixed on the newcomer with a wary and serious expression. He said in a deep voice, "I didn't expect you to come too!"
Obito chuckled, his voice betraying no emotion through his mask: "Hmph."
He completely ignored Jiraiya's question, walked to one side of the audience seats, casually chose a seat, crossed his legs in a comfortable position, and leisurely looked at the large screen in front of him—
He had a completely relaxed, spectator-like attitude.
Clearly, in this strange space, he had no concern that Jiraiya would pose a threat to him.
This mysterious theater prohibits all fighting; audience members are not allowed to fight each other there.
Instead of wasting time on that, you'd be better off watching the Chairman's dreams.
Seeing that he was only focused on the screen and seemed to have no intention of causing trouble, Jiraiya's guard relaxed slightly.
However, the thought that the person sitting in front of him was a dangerous figure who had repeatedly stirred up trouble in the ninja world made him dare not be careless. He could only stand still and secretly observe the other party's every move.
Obito's gaze never left the screen, seemingly showing no interest in the two people before him.
Konan looked at Jiraiya, who was still blocking her way, her feelings extremely complicated.
She hated Jiraiya to the core, yet he was protecting her like this, leaving her with mixed feelings.
Her nose stung with tears, but she quickly remembered something, straightened her face, and said awkwardly in a low voice, "Who needs your help!"
As she spoke, she shoved Jiraiya aside, who was blocking her way, and strode toward Obito.
"Konan?!" Jiraiya was stunned, and reached out his hand to stop her in a daze, but it was too late.
He never expected that Xiao Nan would so easily break free from him and walk towards the dangerous masked man, and for a moment he was completely bewildered.
Konan walked straight up to Obito, looked down at him with displeasure, and said, "You're the one who brought me here, aren't you?"
"Only you could do something like this so silently! I will report this to Payne truthfully!"
Konan's barrage of questions clearly indicated that she was convinced Obito was the culprit.
Her eyes were like blades, and she wished she could poke two holes in the hateful mask in front of her.
Faced with Konan's questioning, Obito lazily raised his head and shrugged at her.
He helplessly raised his hands in a gesture of surrender, his voice devoid of emotion: "Then you really have misunderstood me. Your presence here has nothing to do with me!"
Xiao Nan narrowed her beautiful eyes upon hearing this, her anger escalating further: "Still trying to argue?"
She gritted her teeth, her chakra surging unconsciously throughout her body, but she quickly realized that she still couldn't mobilize her power.
Frustrated, he clenched his fists and glared hatefully at Obito.
Jiraiya, listening from the side, was completely bewildered.
He looked at Konan on the left and Obito on the right, his face full of confusion: "You two know each other?"
Jiraiya was dumbfounded.
He originally thought that Xiao Nan and the masked man were meeting for the first time, but to his surprise, their conversation suggested that they had already interacted before.
When exactly did Xiao Nan meet this dangerous person?
Judging from the conversation just now, it seems there was some past conflict?
Upon hearing this, Obito let out a low chuckle through his mask: "Heh, we not only know each other, we're quite close!"
He deliberately drew out his words, revealing a hint of arrogance and mockery.
"You're very familiar with each other?!"
Jiraiya stared in shock, his eyes wide.
[Ding! Jiraiya's emotional fluctuations have been detected! Emotional value +300!]
When did Xiao Nan get involved with someone like that?
Just then, the scene on the screen changed; the wooden door in the picture suddenly creaked open from the outside.
Konan and Yahiko returned to the cabin carrying large bags and small packages, along with a pile of ingredients.
Two slender figures stepped onto the roof one after the other, each carrying a large amount of fresh ingredients.
The moment the door opened, a rush of cold air, mixed with the dampness from the rain outside, hit me, instantly making the once warm little house feel even colder and more humid.
Nagato Yoshimura, who was standing in a daze inside the house, instinctively turned his head to look when he heard the door open.
At the entrance, two faces that haunted his dreams appeared—a man and a woman, both young, covered in dust but smiling.
"Yahiko? Konan?" Nagato opened his mouth, but his throat seemed to be blocked by something, and he couldn't make a sound for a moment.
He was somewhat doubtful; could dreams really be this real?
The scene before him was different from the past he remembered, but the atmosphere around him and the smiles of his companions felt incredibly real.
Nagato could even feel the cold wind on her face and smell the cool scent of rain mixed with the fresh aroma of the ingredients.
Is all of this really just a dream?
[Ding! Nagato's emotional fluctuations have been detected! Emotional value +300!]
Before Nagato could think it through, the orange-haired boy who walked in had already seen him.
Yahiko beamed and greeted Nagato cheerfully, "Nagato, you're awake! Come help us! We bought so much stuff!"
His voice was cheerful and full of energy, like a clear bell echoing in the room, startling Nagato from her daze.
"Ya...Yahiko," Nagato murmured, feeling a lump in his throat.
How long has it been since Yahiko spoke to him so cheerfully?
Overwhelmed with emotion, he stood rooted to the spot, afraid to blink, lest the smiling boy before him be nothing more than a fleeting illusion.
Yahiko, however, casually lifted his foot, chuckling and complaining about how heavy the load was, while shoving the large bags he was carrying into Nagato's arms: "Hurry up and lend a hand, what are you standing there for! This is all for dinner tonight!"
Nagato looked down at the bag that had suddenly appeared in her arms, paused for a moment, and subconsciously said "Oh".
Only then did he realize that Yahiko had asked him to help carry something.
This Yahiko is so natural, completely unlike those vague dream images from before.
Nagato quickly reached out and took the two large bags of ingredients from Yahiko. His arm felt a sudden weight in it.
He stepped forward blankly to help, placing the things in his hands on the simple dining table inside the house.
Nagato was somewhat puzzled; he didn't seem to recall this scene.
In his true memory, after Jiraiya took them in, they had no worries about food and clothing, but they had never bought so much food at once.
Not to mention any "dinner party".
During those war-torn years, supplies were scarce, and they were used to being frugal. They had never returned with such large bags and bundles as they had ever done before.
But now, in the dream, I and my companions have prepared a table full of food for a certain "guest"?
All of this seemed a little unusual.
Although Nagato was somewhat puzzled, he quickly stepped forward to continue helping.
Regardless, Yahiko and Konan were truly by his side, and he just wanted to cherish this long-awaited time.
Nagato quickly approached Konan, who was about to enter the house, and bent down slightly to take the bucket of water and several packets of rice and noodles from her arms.
Xiao Nan smiled at him and handed him the remaining ingredients.
Nagato caught a faint scent of rain and the fresh aroma of ingredients emanating from Konan, and he couldn't help but feel a sense of disbelief once again: Could all of this really be a dream?
He stepped forward, took the things from Xiao Nan's hands, and carried them to the kitchen.
The small kitchen is equipped with a simple stove and cooking utensils.
Yahiko had already deftly rolled up his sleeves and started washing and sorting the vegetables, humming a little tune as he did so, looking full of energy.
His earnest expression made Nagato unable to help but smile—this scene was so familiar, and so precious!
He leaned against the door, still somewhat bewildered, watching Yahiko skillfully wash and chop the vegetables.
The main reason is that this Yahiko is so vivid, completely different from the Yahiko he dreamed of before.
In those past dreams, Yahiko's figure was always blurry, and most of them were just sad snapshots from his memories.
But today's dream was completely different.
The Yahiko in front of him felt incredibly vivid, as if he were real and alive!
Nagato watched the busy Yahiko with a relaxed expression, his eyes suddenly becoming a little moist.
He had almost forgotten: Yahiko still looks like this when he smiles—
Perhaps it was because he had spent too much time with the Heavenly Dao that he had almost forgotten what Yahiko looked like when he smiled.
Yahiko was a cheerful and sunny person who always brought strength to those around him, but he had forgotten that smile in his endless pain.
Thinking of this, Nagato felt a pang of guilt and gratitude.
[Ding! Nagato's emotional fluctuations have been detected! Emotional value +300!]
He raised his hand and rubbed his eyes hard, trying to hold back the tears that were about to spill, but the corners of his lips involuntarily turned up slightly.
After putting the last ingredient back in its place, Xiao Nan patted the water off her hands.
She walked to the wall, flipped the flip-flop for herself and Yahiko to face up, and then skillfully went back to the kitchen to help Yahiko, who had already started preparing the ingredients.
The three wooden plaques lined up on the wall swayed, and the green plaque facing outwards was particularly eye-catching—it was their respective exit plaques. When the green side faced outwards, it meant that the person was already inside.
Konan skillfully flipped the two wooden plaques bearing the names "Yahiko" and "Konan" from red to green, indicating that the two had returned safely.
Watching Konan and Yahiko work together seamlessly, one as the head chef and the other as the assistant, Nagato watched silently from the side, afraid of disturbing this long-lost heartwarming scene.
He stood there quietly, his eyes never leaving the two busy figures.
Konan occasionally handed over the ingredients, which Yahiko would happily take and continue stir-frying in the pan.
The firelight illuminated their young faces, and the aroma of food wafting from the cabin filled the entire little wooden house with warmth.
Perhaps sensing that Nagato hadn't made a move, Yahiko spent a lot of time trying to figure out that Nagato was still standing there in a daze.
"Nagato, what are you standing there for? Come help!" Yahiko called out to Nagato as he deftly stirred the vegetables in the pan.
He laughed heartily, "I'm going to have to cook a lot of food today! Master Jiraiya said we have guests coming over!"
"Ah, oh!" Nagato suddenly realized what was happening.
He hurriedly responded and quickly walked to the sink to wash his hands in preparation for helping, but he was even more puzzled: "A guest? Who could it be?"
Kita Nagato muttered to himself.
In his memory, Jiraiya had never brought back any guests!
After all, they lived in seclusion in the mountains back then, and no outsiders ever visited their cabin.
But now, Yahiko says that guests are coming tonight?
Nagato's mind was filled with questions, but he dared not stop what he was doing.
He quickly washed his hands and joined the busy work, and the three of them worked together to prepare a sumptuous dinner.
Before long, all the ingredients were prepared, and all that was left was to patiently wait for the dishes in the pot to simmer and absorb the flavors.
The three of them were busy in the kitchen for a long time.
Just then, there was a knock on the door.
"Knock knock knock—" The crisp knocking startled the three people inside.
"They're here!" Xiao Nan's eyes lit up, and she immediately jumped up from her chair.
She wiped her hands with her apron and exclaimed excitedly, "It must be Jiraiya-sensei coming back!"
After saying that, he couldn't wait and ran towards the door.
Upon hearing this, Yahiko stopped what he was doing, exchanged a glance with Nagato, and revealed an expectant smile.
Nagato felt a slight tension rise within her—who exactly was the "guest" outside the door?
Xiao Nan happily ran to the door and opened it.
The wooden door creaked open, and the sound of the torrential rain outside became even clearer.
Two people stood outside the door, both with a head of white hair.
In the dim light at the entrance, one figure could be vaguely seen as tall and strong, while the other was slightly shorter and thinner.
Both of them had full heads of silver-white hair, which shimmered faintly in the rain.
Xiao Nan was stunned for a moment.
Of course, she recognized Jiraiya-sensei—his white hair and signature oil-colored headband were instantly recognizable.
However, she had never seen the other white-haired man standing next to Jiraiya before.
The man was about thirty years old, dressed in the uniform of a Konoha Jonin, with a gentle yet heroic face, and a slender scabbard slung over his shoulder.
Although she had a smile on her lips and seemed to have no hostile intentions, Xiao Nan instinctively became more vigilant.
in the audience.
Konan seemed to dislike Jiraiya and Obito, finding a corner seat to sit down and keeping a distance from the two men.
She crossed her arms over her chest, kept a straight face and didn't say a word, but her eyes remained fixed on the screen.
The screen is currently showing a scene from their childhood, depicting their seamless teamwork: the cozy little wooden house, the bustling kitchen, and Yahiko's bright smile...
These long-lost yet familiar scenes stung her eyes.
Xiao Nan's eyes also felt hot and her nose felt sore.
She misses Yahiko very much.
Looking at the energetic orange-haired boy in the picture, an indescribable sorrow welled up in my chest.
[Ding! Xiao Nan's emotional fluctuations have been detected! Emotional value +500!]
Jiraiya was initially standing not far away, glancing sideways at Obito after he sat down, wary of what kind of trouble the dangerous masked man might suddenly cause.
However, seeing that he was completely absorbed in staring at the screen, Jiraiya's tense nerves gradually relaxed.
He hesitated for a moment, but ultimately gave up his constant vigilance and sat down in the front row, closer to the screen.
However, he did not let his guard down. During this time, he also tried to subtly probe Obito to find out his background or the situation here.
However, the masked man remained silent and completely ignored him, like a block of wood.
Whether Jiraiya initiated a small talk or made tentative hints, Obito completely ignored him.
This left Jiraiya feeling powerless, so he had no choice but to give up.
He sighed softly and turned his attention back to the screen.
Watching the three children busily working on the screen, he felt a complex mix of emotions.
Just then, the door on the screen opened.
In the scene, the door of the wooden house is knocked open, and two bald men stand in the doorway.
Upon seeing this, Jiraiya leaned forward slightly and stared intently.
When he saw the message on the screen saying that a guest had arrived, he was wondering who it could be.
Besides themselves, who else would visit the three children?
He initially thought it was Tsunade or Orochimaru, since both of them knew of Nagato's existence.
But when the door opened, Jiraiya saw himself and someone else he never expected appear on the screen!
On the screen, Jiraiya stood outside the door with a smile on his face, while the person next to him had white hair similar to his own, which fluttered in the wind. He had handsome and rugged features and a calm and reserved demeanor.
The man had a faint smile on his lips; though kind, he possessed a captivating sharpness.
Who else could it be but Sakumo Hatake?!
Jiraiya was filled with hatred and great doubt: Hatake Sakumo?
Why did he take Sakumo Hatake to the cabin?
At this moment, Hatake Sakumo had already been working on a brilliant idea in Jiraiya's mind, and a bold guess made him gasp for breath: Was this actually Kakashi's dream?!
Because according to the normal timeline, Sakumo Hatake should have been dead by now!
"How is this possible?" Jiraiya muttered to himself, staring at the screen in disbelief.
Not only Jiraiya, but Obito was also shocked.
He stared at the figure on the screen, and couldn't help but exclaim in a low voice, "Kakashi's dad?!"
Obito leaned forward, trying to get a better look.
His mistakes are no less than Jiraiya's—Hatake Sakumo?! It really is Hatake Sakumo!
[Ding! Emotional fluctuations from Uchiha Obito have been detected! Emotional value +500!]
Obito stared at the screen, his mind a jumbled mess: he was just as surprised as Jiraiya. Why did Jiraiya bring Kakashi's father to see Nagato and the others?
He had absolutely no way of connecting the people on both sides!
They have absolutely no connection, how could they possibly run into each other under the same roof?
Obito couldn't figure it out at all, and he just felt that the dream was getting more and more bizarre.
The audience fell into a stunned silence.
Jiraiya and Obito stared wide-eyed at the screen.
In contrast to the strong reactions of the two, Xiao Nan sat in a corner to the side.
Konan remained calm, because she didn't know Sakumo Hatake at all.
She tilted her head slightly, watching Jiraiya lead a strange white-haired man into the cabin on the screen. She searched her memory but couldn't find any recollection of this person.
After all, in her memory, Jiraiya had never brought anyone back to the cabin.
In the scene, Yahiko hears that Jiraiya has returned and rushes to the door to greet him.
He excitedly skipped to the door and, seeing Jiraiya standing there, cheerfully greeted him, "Master Jiraiya, you're back! The food will be ready soon."
However, the next second, when he saw the white-haired Hatake Sakumo who followed closely behind Jiraiya and stepped into the room, he was stunned.
Yahiko blinked, his gaze sweeping back and forth between the two white-haired men several times, a strange look on his face.
However, the change was fleeting, replaced by Yahiko's signature sunny smile and a look of curiosity.
He scratched the back of his head and chuckled, "Master Jiraiya! Who is this person? Why does he have white hair just like you? Is he a relative?"
The young man was straightforward and asked the question that no one else had asked.
Upon hearing this, Jiraiya burst into laughter, his triumphant, hearty laugh echoing through the cabin: "Although we're both handsome, he and I aren't related!"
"This guy's name is Hatake Sakumo! Everyone calls him 'Konoha's White Fang'!"
Jiraiya winked at Yahiko and said, "Yahiko, you should remember me!"
Yahiko nodded blankly at first, then suddenly seemed to remember something and jumped up excitedly on the spot.
His eyes gleamed as he stared intently at Hatake Sakumo, babbling incoherently, "You're the great ninja who uttered the famous saying, 'Those who don't cherish their comrades are worse than trash,' and lived it to the fullest! I've heard so much about your deeds! You're my idol!"
When Yahiko got excited, he completely abandoned his usual restraint. His cheeks flushed red with admiration, and he clenched his fists in front of his chest, transforming into a passionate little fanboy.